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Arugam Bay as major tourist resort…..

Published on 25/06/2009 in Blogs, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

We have ended need for travel advisories that crippled Tourism – President

New target of 2.5 million tourists annually by 2016 2011 declared Visit Sri Lanka Year Buy himcocid suspension

This is a momentous phase for the Tourism Industry. With terrorism defeated after three decades, our people can now travel freely in our motherland. Tourists should have no fear to visit our attractions. And, I believe, we have ended the need for Travel Advisories that crippled Tourism, said President Cheap zenegra canadian Mahinda Rajapaksa in an address to the launch of the new image of Sri Lanka Tourism.

“As we have assisted the Tourism Industry through its most difficult period, I now assure the industry of every effort and all resources to meet a target of 2.5 million tourists by 2016,” he said in a In his digitized address to the event at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Hall, Colombo, yesterday (23).

Referring to the new opportunities for Tourism after the defeat of terrorism, the President said “we can now add Passikudah and Trincomalee, up to Kokilai Lagoon in the East, as major tourist attractions, and many locations in the North too, as part of the “Uthuru Vasanthaya” – the development agenda for the North.”

Here is the text of the President’s address:

No sooner our Motherland was united under our national flag; I invited all who had left the country because of terrorism to return home. Today, I invite visitors from abroad to come to our wonderful country to enjoy its charm and the hospitality of our people.

We can now fully use the assets of nature, history and culture for Tourism, to restore its contribution to development.

As we have assisted the Tourism Industry through its most difficult period, I now assure the industry of every effort and all resources to meet a target of 2.5 million tourists by 2016.

While developing Hambantota, Kalpitiya and Arugam Bay as major tourist resorts, we can now add Passikudah and Trincomalee, up to Kokilai Lagoon in the East, and many locations in the North too, as part of the Uthuru Vasanthaya – the development agenda for the North. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay as major tourist resort…..’

Sand Dunes at Arugam Bay

Published on 09/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, press coverage, the bay and wild life. 1 Comment

Buy keppra 500 mg Order endep 10 The treasure in the sand dunes

By Risidra Mendis

A tsunami in

Sri Lanka, un-believable but true. Who would have thought that this little ‘Pearl in the Indian Ocean’ would witness so much damage, destruction and loss of human lives due to a horrendous tsunami.

The tsunami of 2004 changed the lives of many and has left indelible scars on those who lost their kith and kin. It is nearly four years after that dreadful day of December 26, 2004.

But while thousands suffer in silence due to the loss of their relatives and friends there still remains a segment of people who due to their love for nature managed to save thousands of lives.

Many hotels along the coast suffered immense damage and many guests were engulfed by the waves. But those who believed in protecting nature, were witnesses to what nature could offer them in return.

Merciless destruction

While constructing hotels many construction workers mercilessly destroyed the sand dunes along the coast. The sand dunes that had formed over a period of time and which would have served as a barrier against the gushing force of water when the tsunami struck are not there anymore. What remained was bare, flat land and hotels in their place. The end result – the massive destruction of human lives and property as witnessed during the tsunami.

The Yala Safari Hotel built within 100 metres from the sea and which was a popular tourist attraction was totally wiped out by the tsunami. But on the other hand the Yala Village Hotel survived the tsunami with minor damage. The hotel and its staff survived the tsunami because they were protected by the sand dunes in close proximity to the hotel.

When this hotel was built many years ago precautionary measures were taken to build the hotel without destroying the sand dunes. By protecting nature, the hotel and its staff were rewarded through the sand dunes that served as a buffer. Many understood the importance and value of sand dunes only after the deadly tsunami hit the country.

Short memories

It was ultimately the staff of the Yala Village Hotel that came to the help of the remaining guests and staff of the Yala Safari Hotel. However when it comes to Sri Lankans their memories are very short. What happened almost four years ago is now history to many who believe that the country will not be hit by another tsunami. However according to scientific predictions Sri Lanka is very likely be hit by another tsunami in the not too distant future.

It is interesting to note that the very hotel that was saved from the tsunami due to the sand dunes ultimately took measures to destroy part of the sand dunes.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader environmentalists in the area said during the rainy season early last year (2007) some officials from the hotel had cut part of the sand dunes to build a road to the hotel.

Pleas ignored

The pleas of environmentalists not to destroy the sand dunes only fell on deaf ears. “Hotel officials were only interested in preparing the road as soon as possible so that their guests could arrive as it would give them an additional income. The hotel staff who took this decision told us it is easy to take the sand from the sand dunes rather than transport it from elsewhere. These were the same hotel staff who witnessed the horrendous tsunami in 2004,” environmentalists said.

But thankfully due to the intervention of senior hotel officials the cutting of sand dunes was stopped.

The Coast Conservation Department (CCD) has also introduced a project to protect the remaining sand dunes in tsunami affected areas in the country.

Creating awareness

The sand dune rehabilitation project introduced by the CCD some time ago is aimed at creating an awareness among the communities living along the coastal areas.

During former CCD Director Dr. R Samaranayake’s tenure reconstruction of sand dunes in the Hambantota area had commenced. “Hambantota was one of the worst affected areas due to the tsunami. The Karagam Levaya was badly affected because the people of the area had destroyed the sand dunes. The tsunami waves entered through the Karagam Levaya and created a lot of damage. Kosgoda was also badly damaged due to the tsunami. However with the help of the community in the area we were able to reconstruct the destroyed sand dunes in the Kosgoda area,” Dr. Samaranayake said.

Reconstruction

Reconstruction of sand dunes in the Pottuvil and Arugam Bay areas and on the eastern coast were also carried out by the CCD.

A sum of Rs.150 million was allocated for the reconstruction of the sand dunes at the time. The project includes the collecting of sand from off shore areas that were used to fill up areas where the sand dunes were destroyed. After the filling of these areas is completed CCD grows vegetation on top of the dunes.

The accumulation of windblown sand marks the beginning of one of nature’s most interesting and beautiful phenomena. Sand dunes occur throughout the world, from coastal and lakeshore plains to arid desert regions. Sand dunes also provide habitats for a variety of life which marvellously adapts to this unique environment.

Formidable barrier

Picturesque dunes against a sky of blue or a full moon, with perfectly contoured shadows of ripples and undulating crests, have always been a favourite subject of photographers. Dunes have also been the subject of many desert movies, and have historically been a formidable barrier to vehicular and rail travel.

The origin of sand dunes is very complex. An abundant supply of loose sand in a region generally devoid of vegetation (such as an ancient lake bed or river delta), a wind energy source sufficient to move the sand grains and a topography, whereby the sand particles lose their momentum and settle out are the main prerequisites needed to form a sand dune.

Any number of objects, such as shrubs, rocks or fence posts can obstruct the wind force causing sand to pile up in drifts resulting in large dunes. The direction and velocity of the winds and the local supply of sand are the results of a variety of dune shapes and sizes.

If the wind direction is fairly uniform over the years, the dunes gradually shift in the direction of the prevailing wind. Vegetation may stabilise a dune, thus preventing its movement with the prevailing wind.

source:
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20081109/REVIEW.HTM

Skyrocketing prices cause baby gloom

Published on 06/07/2008 in Money Matters, people, press coverage and services. 0 Comments

By Rohan Abeywardena

With essentials like rice, milk powder, vegetables, fish and meat increasingly going beyond the reach of many Sri Lankans, indications are already pointing to the country having acutely undernourished and wasted children.

The UNICEF office in Colombo is now gearing up to do a thorough study of the nutrition status here next month. Even the countryA?a??a??s staple food, rice, despite the price controls clamped on the commodity by the government recently, is selling on average nearly 80 per cent more than the prices recorded in 2007, according to the Weekly Food Commodities Bulletin published by the Agrarian Research and Training Institute.

UNICEFA?a??a??s nutrition official Dr Renuka Jayatissa told the Sunday Times, the grave situation was already apparent from a just released report of a government study. The Demographic and Health Survey 2006/2007 has come up with some shocking findings.

President RajapaksaA?a??a??s home district of Hambantota is one of the worst affected. Nationally it is placed second with 20.9 percent of the districtA?a??a??s children being found to be acutely undernourished. The Tricomalee District is the worst affected district with 28.1 percent of its children being deemed acutely undernourished.

The other districts with sizeable percentages of children who are acutely undernourished are: Moneragala 19.8 percent, Batticaloa 19.4 per cent, Ampara Purchase cefixime tablets Brahmin outlet tent sale (incl. Arugambay & PottuVille) 19.3 per cent, Polonnaruwa 17.9 per cent, Badulla 17.5 per cent, Matara 17.4, Anuradhapura 14.6 per cent and Galle 14.3 per cent.

Asked why districts like Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara registered such high rates of undernourishment despite there being a plethora of NGOs operating in the three districts, Dr Jayatissa said most of the NGOs were not involved in nutritional work and the high incidence was mainly the result of lots of people getting displaced due to fighting there in the last two years.

Though these shocking preliminary statistics have now been published on the Census and Statistics DepartmentA?a??a??s web site, they are couched in such technical jargon an average person may not be able to spot them. For example the acutely undernourished children are listed under the heading A?a??A?below-2SDA?a??A? and those who are severely undernourished are listed under A?a??A?below-3SDA?a??A?. And the country too has a share of severely undernourished children, with 6.8 percent of the babies below the age of six months nationally being in that category.

These figures have been arrived at after studying random sample groups of children in each district, but the UNICEF Nutrition official insisted that they were fully representative samples. Dr Jayatissa said the thorough nutritional survey would be conducted in August/September in collaboration with the World Food Prgramme and it would be reviewed every three months considering the situation in the country.
She said the problem now could be far worse and the childrenA?a??a??s growth already affected with animal products, which provide protein and micro nutrients being very high in price. Plantation sector is considered one of the worst affected. In Nuwara Eliya alone 30 percent of the children are being born with low birth weight.

Fortunately UNICEF has already begun to reverse the sad situation in Batticaloa and Trincomalee as it had begun to observe the problem last year in the two districts. In Batticaloa, UNICEF had launched a Nutrition Rehabilitation Programme by distributing an imported high protein biscuit called BP100 among the severely malnourished through government health workers. Now government health staff is being trained in Trincomalee to launch a similar programme in the entire district from this month, Dr Jayatissa said.

Similarly, she said an Integrated Nutrition Package was being launched in the districts of Badulla, Moneragala and Nuwara Eliya, with the main focus being anemia control and improving feeding practices. It also covers a whole span from children under fiv to adolescents, pre-pregnant women, pre-natal women and lactating mothers.

Asked why they had not lined up similar projects in districts like Hambantota, the UNICEF official said no one had reported to them about the problem gripping Hambantota. And now that the Ministry of Health had requested help, the UNICEF needed three months to get down the required high protein biscuits.
Last year the UNICEF on observing wasting among children in Jaffna at about 30 per cent had reduced the problem to 11 per cent with the distribution of BP100, but the programme has been halted in the last three months due to the security situation, Dr Jayatissa lamented.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080706/News/timesnews002.html

Storm clouds over SAARC summit

Published on 05/07/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

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By Our Political Editor

A volley of probing questions by Muralidhar Reddy, the Colombo correspondent for India’s national newspaper Hindu, brought some revealing answers from defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella.
This week’s brutal attack on journalist Namal Perera and British High Commission staffer Mahendra Ratnaweera, the journalist noted, were not isolated ones. Perera is acting Manager, Media Advocacy and Media Freedom at the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and Ratnaweera, Political Officer at the High Commission.

“These incidents have been occurring regularly and the Police have not got any lead. How do you ensure security during the summit later this month of leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC)? Those attending the summit could become possible targets,” he said. The loquacious defence spokesman and Minister, Rambukwella, who has “ready made” answers to questions, responded, “What does SAARC have to do with this? It could even be a personal issue.”
The assault by goons who came in a white van with tinted windows occurred barely 100 metres outside the Military Police Headquarters at Kirullapone. It was also the same distance from the Ministry of Information (and the Government Information Department) from where many a dignitary of the Government piously pontificates on media freedom and vows to protect both democracy and journalists.
Details of the latest incident appear elsewhere in this newspaper. However, Reddy’s question and the answers Rambukwella gave are among major contributory factors that have triggered off concerns in the diplomatic dovecotes of SAARC countries. With only 22 days to go for the summit, some of the key players, The Sunday Times has learnt, are re-assessing the security environment and whether the climate would be safe for their leaders.

New IGP’s assurance

In the case of the assault of the duo, as has been in many other similar incidents, contradictions in statements by those in Government are galore. Medical personnel at a private hospital were still fighting to stop blood oozing out of the wounds of Perera and Ratnaweera, when then senior DIG Jayantha Wickremeratne arrived at the scene that Monday night. In the next few hours, he was assuming duties as the Inspector General of Police.

Speaking to British High Commissioner Peter Hayes outside the rooms of the two victims on the first floor of a private hospital, Wickremaratne said Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, had sent him there. That was to assure that a full investigation would be carried out to arrest the assailants. The same assurance was given to the two victims. He said the owner of the white van had been traced. It later turned out that the number plates (with different numbers in the front and the rear) were fake. One vehicle for which the number was assigned lay at a garage with its engine removed several months earlier. Another, was from a vehicle a hundred miles away.

The bashful or hearty laughter of UNP national organizer S. B. Dissanayke in response to a remark by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Frday may add fuel to the political rumour mill which is already awash with speculation about his political moves. Mr. Dissanayake along with Ministers Mahinda Wijesekera and Bandula Gunawardena met the President to discuss events related to the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Vidyodaya University from which the trio graduated and the President was a young library assistant.

Later, as Police Chief Wickremaratne was to tell the media it was difficult to track down white vans. At any given time over a 500 of them were moving around in city roads. The Police spokesman held another view. SSP Ranjith Gunasekera told the media that some media personnel were using reported threats or assaults to claim asylum abroad. However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who declared open the US aided bridge at Arugam Bay said the assault was part of a conspiracy to embarrass the Government.
His remarks were to heighten concerns. If there were indeed conspirators who moved around with impunity past checkpoints and the presence of troops/policemen in the City, and could successfully evade arrest, whether security in the City of Colombo and suburbs was adequate was the question. Therefore, could those conspirators endanger the SAARC delegates and the large media contingent who will be there to cover the event?

Of course, security during SAARC has become the nightmare of the authorities. Latest proposals under consideration are to severely restrict entry and exit into the City of Colombo. Ministers and officials taking part in the SAARC summit are also likely to be booked into City hotels and provided security cover during their journey to the conference venue. Among the other security concerns for some SAARC countries is whether Tiger guerrillas will trigger any incidents either before or during the summit. Government officials have allayed their fears with assurances that fighting now is restricted to the Wanni. They have said the guerrillas will no longer be able to carry out any major attack.

Yet, the incident where the guerrillas fired at a helicopter of the Air Force VIP squadron over the skies of Kokkadicholai this week was also cause for concern. This helicopter was one of the ‘chasers’ to the helicopter in which President Rajapaksa flew for the ceremonies connected with the opening of the bridge at Arugam Bay. It had later flown to the SLAF base in Ampara (Uhana) to re-fuel when it was hit by small arms fire and forced to make an emergency landing.

Election fever

On the political front, Government leaders believe that the successful conduct of the SAARC and the “imminent successes” in the campaign against Tiger guerrillas in their stronghold of Wanni would augur well for the upcoming elections in the North Central Province and Sabaragamuwa provinces.

ominations concluded on Friday and both elections will be held on August 23. The twin issues, Government leaders argue, will be disadvantageous to the main opposition United National Party (UNP), which is already plagued by an internal crisis.

In the Opposition UNP, the rumblings seem to simmer down a bit, though its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is not entirely out of the woods. On Tuesday, the Working Committee met, and it was former Health Minister Dr. Ranjit Atapattu from Beliatte who interrupted Wickremesinghe to ask him what the Committee of party seniors set up to study the grievances of a reformist group had come up with.

This Committee comprises those elected to Parliament in 1977 or before that, and is headed by John Amaratunga, a former Minister of Interior. Amaratunga himself was abroad, and Wickremesinghe had to stop in mid-stream and say he would deal with the subject later.

When later came, Wickremesinghe said the Committee was finalising its report, and that he was prepared to go along with its recommendations – provided there was unanimity in the way forward. Differences of opinion and pitting one against the other are now becoming legendary — and Wickremesinghe knows only too well that personality clashes will prevail over issue-based politics.
For instance, the recommendations of the three chief ‘reformists’ – Lakshman Seneviratne (Moneragala), Johnston Fernando (Kurunegala) and Jayalath Jayawardene (Gampaha) are to change the party constitution and clip the powers of the all-powerful party leader; and for the appointment of a new party chairman, deputy leader and three assistant leaders.

The vexed issue of whether Wickremesinghe should continue as both, the Opposition Leader and party leader has now been all but settled, with the demand to oust him from the latter post now fizzling out.
For party deputy leader (the post held by Karu Jayasuriya before his defection), the name recommended is incumbent party Chairman Rukman Senanayake. He was not present on Tuesday, but while there is no apparent objection to this move, the suggestion to make Joseph Michael Perera, the party chairman has run into a wall.

Jayalath Jayawardene had originally objected to this move. Both are from neighbouring constituencies of Ja-ela and Negombo, but the good doctor had later relented. However, Perera’s nomination was opposed on the grounds that he is a Catholic and the party is already under a cloud with the Buddhist majority having lost their confidence to some extent.

Then, there was the suggestion to make S.B. Dissanayake, the National Organiser who spends most of his time in Australia nowadays, Jayawickrema Perera from Kurunegala and young Sajith Premadasa from Hambantota as assistant leaders. There again, while Jayawickrama Perera was not an issue, there were some murmurs about Dissanayake because of his civic disability, and Premadasa due to his young age.

Dissanayake has been asking the leadership for a place in Parliament once his civic disability period is over – and the vacant seat of Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauf Hakeem, but Hakeem seems to want to return the National Legislature, and this will put paid to Dissanayake’s re-entry to where he once held forth.

In the meantime, he has kept a line open with President Rajapaksa, earning the displeasure, and mistrust of UNPers. The point that young and not-so-young MPs who see themselves as future leaders were not even in the running for these posts – Ravi Karunanayake, Vajira Abeywardene etc., was also a matter for consternation in some quarters.

And so, the debate went on in the corridors and within the Working Committee of the Grand Old Party, and Wickremesinghe thriving on the differences said that the discussions should not revolve around persons but positions. But what he did not say, nor the party think of discussing, was that what was most important was neither persons nor positions, but the issues that the UNP had to take cognizance of if it was to reverse the losing trend, and start winning elections once again.

Lakshman Seneviratne, one of the frontline ‘reformists’ said he wanted to clarify matters. He had been talking behind closed doors that he felt the party leadership had ‘planted’ a story in a popular Sinhala daily that he was acting as the cat’s-paw for the 17 UNPers who abandoned the UNP and joined the Rajakapsa administration. Inside the Working Committee he rose to deny this, and said that he was a UNPer, would stand by the leadership and only wanted to ensure the party’s victory at future elections.
In this general state of confusion, Ranjit Atapattu, the elder statesman who raised the issue first, could only say that he had his own views to make to the Committee, and he was asked to convey them in due course. Wickremesinghe said the Committee should identify common issues and the party must come to some general agreement on these common issues, and with that neatly rode the rough waves against him to beach safely.

One of the most vociferous critics of Wickremesinghe, Johnston Fernando, a former Youth and Sports Minister had his lips sealed. There was not a word, not a hum from him right through the proceedings. Clearly, someone had advised him to keep mum.

Campaign funds

As the coming weeks will see heightened activity in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces in view of the August 23 elections, it was natural for the party hierarchy to discuss how best they were going to meet the challenge.

For the NCP, the UNP had a fairly powerful candidate in Major-General (Ret.) Janaka Perera, who was returning from Australia (this is not a new phenomena – most modern Sri Lankan politicians, Government and Opposition, seem to be having homes in foreign lands and politicking here) to his baptism in politics.
Perera had been testing the murky political waters for some time, dipping his toe, and running back to Australia. But now he has committed himself to the deep end of Sri Lankan politics, and he has taken upon himself an assignment no second to those he would have faced fighting the LTTE during his career in the army.

Before his arrival in Colombo, Perera has been asking whether he will have the financial resources from the party to mount what would be a fairly expensive campaign. He was assured party funds, but later began complaining that tight-fisted party managers were depriving him of funds. Now that he has got some of it, he has been told not to squander all of it in the first month itself, and to save some for closer to the polls date.

To face fire with fire, the government has put forward a wounded soldier, the sole survivor of the 1992 deaths of the country’s top-most Generals in the island of Kayts off Jaffna. This is proof that the government is not taking Maj-Gen. Perera’s entry into politics from the UNP lightly.

Sabragamuwa scenario

The UNP’s nominees for the Sabaragamuwa province however had a little coup de theatrics. Taken unaware by the announcement of the election, the UNP was obviously caught flat-footed. Its MPs from the area, Ms. Thalatha Atukorale and Dunesh Gankanda were thrust into the forefront by the party in the absence of a second rung of politicians. Atukorale had just returned from a visit to the US, and neither she nor Gankanda were keen to sacrifice their parliamentary seats, even if it meant being an apparent Chief Minister candidate for the entire province.

In to this vacuum, actor Ranjan Ramanayake threw his hat in from the blues – or in this case, the greens. According to party insiders, his candidature has been supported by Sudath Chandrasekera, a personal friend of his, and who wears the hat of private secretary to Wickremesinghe. A press interview had been arranged for Ramanayake where he said he was willing to come forward.

The party leadership, desperately searching for a team leader for Sabaragamuwa was delighted at the response. Atukorale and Gankanda were the first to lend their support, but it seemed that was more to get out of the situation themselves rather than any love for Ramanayake.

Former Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan Wijeyeratne also offered to contest if he was to be given the Chief Ministership should the UNP win. His long years as DN of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, the temple of the Tooth, would stand him in good stead in a mainly Sinhala-Buddhist province, whose centre of gravity is the holy Maha Saman Devale’ in Ratnapura.

However, Wijeyeratne’s candidature was shot down as soon as it took off. Those supporting Ramanayake, who ironically hails from the Catholic belt of Katana in the western province, with no connections whatsoever in Sabaragamuwa argued that should Wijeyeratne contest, the incumbent DN, Neelanga Dela Bandara would throw his weight against Wijeyeratne.

This is going on the basis that Bandara will not otherwise throw his weight behind the Rajapaksa administration, which fully backed his own candidacy when he was elected for the post he now holds.
The UNP hierarchy insists that Ramanayake can win the youth vote and with the traditional party votes, can make the difference.

Others think otherwise, and fear the party coming a cropper. To make matters worse, the party left out an up-and-coming grass-root level politician named Manju, a Praadeshiya Sabha member from Mawanella, whose inclusion was reportedly objected to by Kabir Hasheem, MP from Mawanella.

The UNP has to contend with some heavy-weights like Ministers John Seneviratne, Pavitra Wanniarachchi, Susantha Punchinilame and Mahinda Ratnathillake, seasoned politicians working the government machinery in the province.

The UNP was crowing over the fact that Punchinilame’s brother cum private secretary is going to be a UNP candidate. “He has crossed over”, said one prominent UNPer, but others said that the Punchinilames are UNPers anyway, just that Susantha Punchinilame joined the government, and it makes good insurance policy to hedge the bets.

The UNP also appointed two committees to spearhead the campaign in the two provinces. Rukman Senanayake will be the chief campaign coordinator for the North Central Province with Gamini Jaywickrema Perera being the Anuradhapura district coordinator and Lakshman Kiriella being the Polonnaruwa District coordinator. Others in the NCP campaign committee are Sajith Premadasa, P. Harrison, Earl Gunasekera, Chandrani Bandara and Dr. R. John Pulle.

The UNPA?a??a??s Sabaragamuwa campaign committee is headed by National Organiser S. B. Dissanayake with Ravindra Samaraweera being the Kegalle District coordinator and John Amaratunga Ratnapura coordinator.

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Others in the Sabaragamuwa campaign committee are: Thalatha Athukorale, Kabir Hashim, Dunesh Gankanda, Champika Premadasa and P. D. Kurukulasinghe. Not to be distracted though from the main objective of the Opposition, to oppose the government especially in Colombo, the UNP has also worked in a frenzy-like mood.

It has appointed its Kandy leader Lakshman Kiriella to ‘carry the party message’; Wickremasinghe himself will take charge of the ‘Ops Room’; there will be people tasked for ‘Fund Raising’; and next Wednesday (July 9) they will start recruiting volunteers who will take an oath to engage in Gandhian style (or JR style?) non-violent protest “until freedom is obtained”, as one party leader acclaimed.

Meanwhile, the violence has already begun. In Anuradhapura, three UNPers have been attacked, and in the recently liberated Dimbulagala, a sub-inspector of police and a police party arrived to arrest a UNP organiser – one policeman wearing the telephone number of the Opposition leader on his uniform lapel instead of a real number.
source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080706/Columns/political.html

Security concerns hold back foreign traveller to the East

Published on 23/05/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

How much is carafate without insurance By Dilrukshi Fernando

The tourism industry is expected to thrive on a targeted paltry figure of around 1000 domestic tourists in an effort to boost travel to the East within the next quarter, a top government official told the Daily Financial Times yesterday.

The expected number is relatively low due to security concerns which is a factor preventing domestic tourists from touring the area, the official added.

A?a??A?The Ministry of Tourism hopes to engage in large scale infrastructure development and transportation to ensure a growth,A?a??A? the official said. The reason for targeting domestic tourists is a stratagem adopted by the Ministry of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) through which they hope to reach the international market, the official pointed out.

With emphasis on the Eastern Province, a decline in tourist arrivals has been recorded in the Southern District. However the figures show a growth of 8.6% when compared with 2007 according to Tourism Ministry Secretary George Michael. A?a??A?Last year the number of tourist arrivals for March stand at 35,031 while this year it is 38, 049,A?a??A? he pointed out adding that the existing travel advisories and the prevalent security situation in Colombo might be discouraging factors. A?a??A?The industry has made plans to have round table discussions regarding this matter and we hope to meet in Hambantota in June to hold discussion with officials from the hotel trade, representatives from the Chambers of Commerce and Small and Medium Enterprise officials,A?a??A? he added.

In the meantime the transportation sector is to be developed by enabling railway facilities for domestic tourists at Arugam Bay according to Deputy Minister for Tourism, Faizer Musthapha. His comments came at the monthly discussion on tourism held at the Ministry yesterday. A?a??A?The ministry plans to work closely with the Provincial Council which plans to fund certain projects of the Tourism Ministry and SLTB. Finances will also be directed from donor funds.

The tourist police will be deployed in the resorts to ensure the safety of the tourists. A comprehensive website including information of the Arugam bay tourism prospects can be located at www.arugambay.com Generic for maxalt .

Meanwhile, in a technologically advanced initiative a web cam project will be initiated to monitor the wave pattern of the Arugam Bay which is considered one of the top ten surfing destinations in the world. A?a??A?Through this project, surfing enthusiasts all over the world can access the facility on the internet and tour the island for the much loved sport,A?a??A? Musthapha added. Plans also are underway to bring back the international surfing competition currently held in the Maldives back to Sri Lanka.

Steps will also be taken to work closely with the fishing community in the area and ensure that they are provided with basic toilet facilities. A hotel school will also be set up in the areas of Uppuweli and Arugam Bay on government property. A?a??A?This is part of the long term programmes while short term plans include training and skills development of youth whose employment in the Middle East will be ensured,A?a??A? Roy Jayasinghe said. A programme to launch a tourist guide training programme and a A?a??E?Home StayA?a??a?? programme where housewives will be trained on how to entertain guests will also be part of the steps to be taken to boost the Eastern Tourism industry.

source:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=15541

He loved the wilds as much as he loved people

Published on 30/03/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

Tony Gabriel

This appreciation is about Tony Gabriel in the last ten years of his life, when he resumed his love of the jungles and wildlife parks by joining ‘Venture Forth’, a group of ten whose only claim for recognition is that they all came from the same stables, and consequently have the same sense of values. Others will write about his great achievements as a surgeon, of his versatility as an actor, and his pride and joy of being a Volunteer Medical Officer in the Sri Lanka Army, where he retired as a Colonel and the Commanding Officer of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corp (Volunteers).

Tony Gabriel was a unique character. He played many parts in life, and in all of them achieved a rare degree of distinction. As a young lad he was taken by his father to all parts of the country A?a??a?? the East coast, Trincomalee, Arugam Bay and down to Kumana Omnicef price walmart ; the wildlife parks of Yala, Udawalawe, Wilpattu and Minneriya; Continue reading ‘He loved the wilds as much as he loved people’

Local bombs to kill elephants

Published on 11/02/2008 in Blogs, press coverage, Security & Safety and wild life. 2 Comments

How much does infant zantac cost Cheap lozol medicine An elephant has died in Hambantota after an explosive device which it swallowed exploded inside its mouth. This is the eleventh elephant death due to this locally made device called by A?a??E?Hakka PatasA?a??a??, reported from the area in the last few months, the Forest Department officials said. The farmers coat the bombs with animal fodder.
source:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=6173

Arugam Bay Master Plan

Published on 27/01/2008 in Blogs, Ideas, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 1 Comment

Rebuilding Sri Lanka for Tourists:

A Report on the Latest Situation

Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), Sri Lanka

After the December 2004 tsunami struck, devastating the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the Sri Lankan government moved quickly to announce the launch of a grand plan not just to rehabilitate the affected areas but to rebuild the whole country. They have since gathered commitments of over $3 billion from the international financial institutions and foreign governments to carry this out.

Within days of the disaster, the government had announced that people should not rebuild their houses on the coast. Within weeks, an exclusion zone of up to 200 metres inland from the coast had been announced, displacing fisherfolk and other coastal communities from their land and effectively severing them from their livelihoods. Shortly afterwards, exceptions were announced for tourist businesses, and the government has been talking about the need to promote tourism. In the meantime, non-governmental agencies have been carrying out almost all of the work in cleaning up the destroyed areas, building temporary shelters, regenerating livelihoods and so on.

The Sri Lanka Tourist Board website says, A?a??A?In a cruel twist of fate, nature has presented Sri Lanka with a unique opportunity, and out of this great tragedy will come a world class tourism destination.A?a??A? However, this A?a??A?unique opportunityA?a??A? seems to be reserved solely for developers and those who can afford a A?a??A?world-class tourist destination,A?a??A? but for the majority of tsunami survivors, the opportunity for rebuilding their lives with dignity and sustainability will be lost. For them, the A?a??A?cruel twist of fateA?a??A? was not in the tsunami, but lies in the governmentA?a??a??s tourist- and business-oriented rebuilding plan.

The Master Plans: Arugam Bay, a Blueprint for Sri Lanka

Plans are now being developed to transform 15 coastal towns all around the island into tourist resorts as part of the post- tsunami rebuilding process. The 15 towns under discussion, Wadduwa, Beruwala, Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Koggala, Matara, Hambantota, Tangalla, Yala, Arugam Bay, Passikuddah, Nilaweli and Kalpitiya, have been singled out for redevelopment according to different themes.

The first plan to emerge was that for the redevelopment of Arugam Bay, a small town nestled on the edge of a 300 hectare lagoon on the east coast of Sri Lanka, which just happens to be one of the best surfing spots in the world with beautiful beaches. There are indications that this will serve as a model for all the other areas.

Redevelopment Plans A?a??A? Grandiose and InappropriateA?a??A?

The Arugam Bay Resource Development Plan covers a stretch of land 17km by 5km between Komari and Panama, including Pottuvil Town. It envisages the total reorientation of the area away from the current fishing and agricultural communities, supplemented by seasonal guesthouses, into a large development of hotels (A?a??A?low cost budget windsurfer to 5-star touristA?a??A?), a commercial centre (A?a??A?shoppersA?a??a?? paradiseA?a??A?), a yachting marina, floating plane pier and helipad. According to the plan, while only 9 out of 25,000 hectares are currently being used for tourism, this figure is set to increase exponentially through the redevelopment.

Consultants contracted to work on the redevelopment admit that they, A?a??A?have drawn heavily upon past plans (esp. the Tourism Master Plan)A?a??A?which was widely recognised as being A?a??E? grandioseA?a??a?? and A?a??E?inappropriateA?a??a??,A?a??A? referring to a report of the Asian Development Bank. The disconnect between the planned development and the interests of the people is illustrated in the following quote, A?a??E?the location of the helicopter pad near the new pedestrianised road will bring a new vibrant life in to Arugam Bay town centreA?a??a??.

Government Coercion Forces Out Coastal Communities

In the name of A?a??A? redevelopment,A?a??A? the Sri Lanka Tourist Board is ready to acquire not only all the land within the buffer zone declared by the Taskforce for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) of 200 metres from the high tide line, but also a stretch up to a kilometre wide running along 3 kilometres of the coast beyond the buffer zone, as well as a belt of land over 600 metres wide in places around the edge of the lagoon. In addition, an area of sea next to the lagoon entrance will be appropriated for the yachting marina and a strip across the middle of the lagoon for the floating plane landing pier.

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This proprietary sentiment was reflected in statements made by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board Chairman at a meeting organised by Sewalanka Foundation between the community and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. Saying, A?a??A?The land belongs to the government. Maybe your forefathers lived in that area, but the 860 acres belongs to the government. It will be developed as a tourist zone. We will put up buildings and develop the area and we will ask you to come and work thereA?a??A? After I became the Chairman I captured 5,000 acres of land for the Tourist Board. My target is 15,000 acres,A?a??A? the Chairman left no room for doubt about the true nature of the plans for reconstruction.

There are plans for new housing for the estimated 5,000 displaced families in 5 separate inland locations, in all cases behind areas zoned off for tourism. These resettlements are located well over 1km from both the sea and the lagoon, which are rendered practically inaccessible by the new tourist infrastructure. The plan proposes to allocate houses in the resettlement districts by drawing lots, and there is blatant coercion to move from the government, saying through the Tourist Board that A?a??A?these houses will be given to people who support our program.A?a??A? Further threats from the Tourist Board hint at state oppression of non- compliants, threatening communities that A?a??A?if you built any illegal structures in Arugam Bay, the army and the police will have to come and remove them.A?a??A?
The document also says that the over 70 existing guesthouses and numerous other small enterprises that will have to be relocated would, if they were already registered businesses, be given the option of leasing land within the zones for a period of up to 30 years, while unregistered businesses would have no such rights. None of the businesses will receive compensation.

$80 Million of Tsunami Funds Spent on Creating a A?a??A?Tourist ParadiseA?a??A?

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The initial investment in the planned development is estimated at $80 million. Of that, $50 million is earmarked for a bridge over Arugam Lagoon, which according to the plan A?a??A?will stand as an inspirational symbol that shows progress towards the achievement of prosperity for Arugam BayA?a??A? as A?a??A?the gateway to a tourist paradise.A?a??A?

Another $5 million is allocated for a new road around Arugam Lagoon, and $20 million is proposed for the construction of the new inland townships of 2,500 houses each. The remaining $5 million is slated for water supply and sanitation systems in the new townships and the tourist zone. The cost of the other proposed infrastructure, such as the floating plane pier and helipad, is not yet included in the overall plan, although it is stated in the document that such amenities will have to be funded either by investment by the government or from NGOs.

================================

What else could $80 million do?

The government has decided to stop the weekly food grant of 200 rupees in cash and 175 rupees in rations for the 881,000 people affected by the disaster. $80 million would be sufficient to extend this relief for all for another 6 months.

The government has only started to build 1,659 permanent houses to replace the 41,393 that were completely destroyed, a mere fraction of the housing desperately needed by tsunami victims. $80 million would be enough for 32,000 families to build houses.

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Redevelopment Plan Conceived in Isolation

The plan was apparently initiated independently by the Rebuild Sri Lanka Trust, which was set up in the aftermath of the tsunami by 4 individuals and started working in the Arugam Bay area as a A?a??A?non- political private sector initiative.A?a??A? The Trustees include the managing director of Maxim Ltd., a garment manufacturing company; a senior partner in a Colombo law firm, specialising in foreign investment, infrastructure development advisory services and real estate; the Managing Director of Expolanka Freight Ltd, a transport services company; and a retired doctor.

The Rebuild Sri Lanka Trust had within a month of the tsunami contracted a series of consultants to work on the plan. These are Dutch engineering consultants Arcadis; ECOPLAN-Z Limited from New Zealand; and EML Consultants from Sri Lanka. All of these consultants are involved in or are directly linked to work on large Asian Development Bank or World Bank infrastructure projects. The local company, EML Consultants, according to their website, normally works in facilitating US investment in water and environmental services, in carbon trading and in the promotion of plantation agriculture and floriculture.

The plan was finalised in late April of this year, and states that at the time of writing the President had already given approval, and was A?a??A?keen to see the action projects proposed in the report are implemented without delay.A?a??A? In fact, USAID had already published a presolicitation notice for a contract to construct the bridge, road, water supply scheme and wastewater system in Arugam Bay by 8th April 2005, and hosted a pre-bid conference for potential contractors in Colombo on 10th May 2005.

The first the residents of Arugam Bay heard of the plan was at a meeting organised by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and Sewalanka Foundation in Colombo on 17th May 2005, nearly a month after the plan had been approved and finalized by the government, and more than a month after the USAID presoliciation notice was issued.

An assessment of the plan carried out by Arcadis said A?a??A?the most important shortcoming is that it has largely been produced in isolation in Colombo, with little or no stakeholder involvement. It is evident that the team spent only two days in Pottuvil – Arugam Bay, and apart from the GA officer in Ampara and the DS in Pottuvil, they met only with INGO staff.A?a??A?

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Business Interests at the Top

The plan falls under the remit of the Taskforce for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN), an extra-governmental body functioning under the authority of the President. TAFREN is headed by 10 business leaders, at least 5 of whom own or manage companies that operate beach hotels.

================================

For Tsunami Victims, Another A?a??A?Cruel Twist of FateA?a??A? In Store

The picture that is becoming clearer by the day shows that the direction being taken in the post-tsunami rebuilding is completely counter to the interests of those people who have suffered in the disaster. They are being driven off their land and out of their livelihoods in the name of a grand plan for the A?a??E?modernisationA?a??a?? of the country.

This process started long before tsunami, but it is now being pushed with the weight of the $3 billion the government has gathered in the name of the tsunami victims. If all of the 15 tourist townships require an investment of $80 million, the cost will be $1.2 billion, or a massive 40% of the total amount committed. If all of the 15 tourist township plans follow the model of Arugam Bay, the number of families pushed out to make way for hotels, yachting marinas, helipads and floating plane landing strips could be well over 75,000.

source:
http://www.50years.org/cms/ejn/story/274
published September, 2005 – but only found on the net now, January, 2008

Reconsider your need to travel to Sri Lanka !

Published on 14/01/2008 in Blogs, press coverage and Security & Safety. 1 Comment

Safety and Security

Terrorism

Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.

Civil Unrest/Political Tension

We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Sri Lanka at this time because of ongoing civil unrest, the volatile security situation and the very high risk of further attacks by the LTTE. There have been attacks against aid workers. Attacks occur frequently and further attacks can happen at any time, anywhere in Sri Lanka, including the south. Australians could inadvertently become victims of violence directed at others.
Tensions between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are high. There has been a significant escalation in the number of serious incidents of politically motivated violence, including in tourist areas in the centre and south of the country. On 2 January 2008, the Government of Sri Lanka announced it would withdraw from the ceasefire agreement it signed in 2002 with the LTTE. The security situation could deteriorate further without warning.
You should pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media and other local information sources for information about possible new safety or security risks.
On 27 November 2006, the LTTE indicated that it would pursue an independent state through renewed struggle rather than negotiation. Road access to the north of the country, including to Jaffna, has been restricted because of intermittent fighting at Muhamalai. A State of Emergency was declared by the Government of Sri Lanka on 13 August 2005 following the assassination of the Foreign Minister and remains in effect. The State of Emergency gives additional powers to security forces including the authority to establish road blocks and impose curfews. Further powers were given to the security forces under emergency regulations introduced in December 2006.
Air and ground attacks in late 2007 in areas held by the LTTE escalated the conflict in the north. On 2 November 2007, the LTTE announced that the leader of its political wing was killed in an aerial attack by the Sri Lanka Air Force. These events may increase the risk of further attacks by the LTTE in any part of Sri Lanka, including Colombo.
On 5 December 2007, 15 civilians on a public bus in North Central Province were killed and 23 injured in a roadside bomb attack.
On 28 November 2007, an explosion in a clothing shop in a Colombo suburb killed 20 civilians and injured 34. These attacks appear to have targeted civilians. Also on 28 November 2007, a suicide bombing at a government ministry in central Colombo killed two people and injured a further two. On 2 January 2008, a roadside bomb targeting a military bus killed four people and injured 23 in central Colombo. The majority of those killed and injured were civilians. On 8 January 2008, a Sri Lankan government minister was killed and 10 civilians injured in a roadside bomb attack targeting the minister’s convoy. The attack took place on the road between Colombo’s international airport and the city centre. A second blast occurred in a phone booth near major hotels in the Fort district and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Air Force headquarters.
Although tourists have not been targets of politically motivated violence, the LTTE have undertaken attacks at locations frequented by tourists, including the international airport in Colombo and the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. There has been a significant escalation in the number of serious incidents of politically motivated violence throughout Sri Lanka, including in tourist areas in the centre and south. On 22 October 2007, the LTTE launched a ground and air attack on the Sri Lanka Air Force base at Anuradhapura, near the popular tourism facilities in the cultural triangle. The attack killed over 30 people and destroyed several military aircraft. Several bombs were reportedly dropped on the base during the attack. On 15 October 2007, the LTTE attacked a military camp located in Yala National Park, a popular tourist location, killing eight people. On 16 October 2007, a military vehicle hit a landmine in Yala National Park in Southern Province killing one and injuring three people.
Attacks could occur at any time and in any place, including infrastructure associated with the Sri Lankan Government such as military establishments, public transport, airports, sea ports, oil depots and public buildings, as well as political offices of anti-LTTE Tamil organisations. Nearby locations could sustain collateral damage. Potentially affected locations also include shopping malls, clubs, hotels, restaurants, bars, movie theatres, schools, places of worship, embassies, tourist areas (including national parks), markets and outdoor recreation areas, major sporting events and religious festivals.
Events of political significance, including elections, could be catalysts for violence and civil unrest. You should avoid all demonstrations and large public gatherings as they may turn violent.
You should be particularly vigilant on and around anniversaries and days of national significance such as May Day (1 May), Vesak (which falls in May), the Kandy Esela Perahara Festival (which falls in August), Heroes week (late November), the Tamil and Sinhala New Year festivals (13-14 April), the anniversary of the 2002 cessations of hostilities (22 February) and of the first LTTE suicide bombing (5 July), as militants have in the past used such occasions to mount attacks. Security forces discovered an explosive device and components for an explosive device in central Colombo in early October 2007. On 23 August 2007 police arrested five men for allegedly planning an attack on the Kandy Esela Perahara Festival. There were further arrests on 26 August 2007 following the recovery of an unexploded bomb on a street in Kandy.
On 28 May 2007 a bomb blast near a Sri Lankan Air Force base south of Colombo killed at least seven civilians and injured more than 35 other people, including Sri Lankan Police personnel. On 29 April 2007 Tamil Tiger aircraft bombed the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) base at Ratmalana and an oil refinery in Colombo. On 26 April 2007 the Bandaranaike International Airport near the capital Colombo and its access roads were temporarily closed when Sri Lankan troops at the nearby SLAF base at Katunayeke fired anti-aircraft guns following reports a Tamil Tiger aircraft was in the area. The LTTE launched aerial attacks on the SLAF base on 26 March 2007, forcing the temporary closure of Bandaranaike International Airport, and on the SLAF base at Palali, Jaffna on 23 April 2007, killing armed forces personnel. The Sri Lankan Government has warned more aerial attacks could occur, including, but not limited to, in the High Security Zone in Colombo 1 and 2 suburbs and parts of Colombo 3 suburb where a number of international hotels are located.
You should avoid anti-aircraft batteries and their immediate surroundings, including high-rise buildings, especially during blackouts. New batteries have been established in central Colombo in areas frequented by tourists, including hotels. . In the event of anti-aircraft fire you should stay indoors in a secure location because of the risk of falling projectiles and shrapnel. You should also avoid travelling at night time when anti-aircraft fire is more likely to occur. On 29 April 2007, 14 people were injured and buildings were damaged after anti-aircraft weapons were fired over Colombo.
In the event of a Sri Lankan Government-enforced security related blackout, Australian government officials have been advised to avoid anti-aircraft batteries and their surroundings, including tall buildings and to take cover in a secured area for protection against projectiles, likely to be on the ground floor of an internal room with solid concrete walls and ceiling and no, or limited, windows. If unable to leave a tall building, they have been advised to take cover in an inner room with solid walls using heavy furniture for additional overhead protection. They have been further advised to stay indoors for at least one hour after the cessation of firing of any anti-aircraft guns.
Due to the on-going conflict, the SLAF base at Katunayeke could be targeted at any time. The co-located international airport could be closed without warning and commercial aircraft could be at risk, particularly at night. In light of the increased threat, some airlines have suspended flights to Colombo or changed flight schedules suspending commercial late night flights. We recommend you contact your airline to confirm flight details.
Recent reports indicate that terrorists may be planning suicide attacks against the headquarters of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Sir Chitampalam A Gardiner Mawatha in central Colombo and the main SLAF fighter wing at Katunayake, collocated with Bandaranaike International Airport, the country’s main international airport.
Truck bombings could occur at any time in any part of Sri Lanka. You should exercise extreme caution, maintain high personal security awareness and avoid locations known to be targeted by terrorists in Sri Lanka. On 24 July 2007 a roadside bomb targeting a military bus in Mannar district killed nine soldiers. On 24 May 2007 a road side bomb targeting a military bus was detonated in the Fort Area of the Colombo 15 suburb near the port and naval base, killing one soldier and injuring several others, including civilians.
We are aware of media reports that the High Security Zone Residents’ Liberation Force (HSZRLF) has threatened to attack civilian targets in the south including hospitals and dams. The Ellalan Force, which claimed responsibility for the bombing of civilian buses on 5 and 6 January 2007, issued a statement on 21 January threatening further attacks.
Northern areas (including Wilpattu National Park): We advise you not to travel to the north of Sri Lanka, including the area north of the highway between Puttalam, Anuradhapura and Polonaruwa and Wilpattu National Park. An explosion in Wilpattu National Park in May 2006 killed seven visitors. The Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE have engaged in significant battles in the area between Mannar and Omanthai near Vavuniya, as well as Muhamalai in Jaffna. In October 2007, the government began a new offensive against LTTE positions north of Giant Tank near Adampan in Mannar district.
East and south-eastern areas (including Yala National Park): We advise you not to travel east of Pollonaruwa town on the A11 road or to points east of a straight line between Polonaruwa town and the South Coast, passing through Badulla including Yala National Park. On 16 October 2007, the LTTE attacked an army camp in Panama in Ampara district in the east. A day earlier, the LTTE attacked a military camp in Yala National Park in Southern Province near Hambantota. Eight people were killed. Vehicles travelling in Yala National Park hit landmines in October and November 2007. Vehicles have reportedly been attacked with improvised explosive devices in the vicinity of Yala National Park and Kataragama in the South-East.
There have been incidents of violence against aid workers. On 20 August 2007, a member of the Danish Demining Group was shot dead in Jaffna, while his co-worker was injured. On 23 June 2007 an aid worker with the Danish Refugee Council was shot dead in Jaffna. On 2 June 2007, two volunteer Red Cross workers were abducted from a train station and murdered. On 13 June 2007, an expatriate aid worker with Mercy Corps was shot on a beach at the Club Oceanic Hotel in Trincomalee.
The Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE have engaged in significant battles in Mannar district between Adampan and Madhu, as well as near Omanthai in Vavuniya district and in the general vicinity of Trincomalee. In November 2007, the Government of Sir Lanka attempted to breach the LTTE’s defences in Jaffna. Military strikes have also occurred in the Batticaloa, Ampara, Mannar, Mulaitivu, Killinochchi and Hambantota districts. Travellers have inadvertently been caught up in these actions. An attack on a passenger train on 6 June 2007 in Batticaloa district derailed several carriages and caused injuries to a number of civilians. A passenger train was attacked with an improvised bomb on 18 December 2007 in Trincomalee, causing no injuries.
Reports indicate a pro-government Tamil paramilitary faction has threatened aid workers operating in Eastern Province.
If you are already in the “Do Not Travel” areas described above, including the Wilpattu or Yala National Parks, and concerned for your safety, you should consider departing if it is safe to do so. Politically motivated violence including assassinations, bombings in public places and on roads is escalating and there is widespread civil unrest. Communal and inter-ethnic tensions in these regions are very high and further violence is highly likely, particularly between Muslim communities on the east coast and pro-government Tamil paramilitaries.

Crime

There is a danger of kidnapping for ransom of foreign nationals in Sri Lanka, including in Colombo. All Australians in Sri Lanka, particularly those of Sri Lankan Tamil origin, should ensure that appropriate identification is carried at all times.
Violent crime continues to increase, including sexual assault and robbery. Policing in remote areas is often hampered by a lack of resources and poor infrastructure.
There have been incidents of violence against aid workers. On 2 June 2007, two volunteer Red Cross workers were abducted from a train station and murdered. On 13 June 2007, an expatriate aid worker with Mercy Corps was shot on a beach at the Club Oceanic Hotel in Trincomalee.
Petty crime such as pick-pocketing and bag snatching occurs, particularly on public transport.

Local Travel

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Due to the volatile security situation in Sri Lanka, Australian government officials and dependants have been advised to limit travel (particularly at night), maintain a high degree of awareness at roadblocks and checkpoints and avoid using public transport. Australian diplomatic and consular staff have also been advised to exercise heightened security vigilance, avoid travel to locations that may be potential targets and curtail all non-essential travel. Anti-aircraft batteries and their immediate surroundings, including high-rise buildings, should also be avoided. In the event of anti-aircraft fire you should stay indoors in a secure location because of the risk of falling projectiles and shrapnel.
Security personnel may impose curfews, roadblocks and security checks at short notice across the country, and may require proof of identification, such as your current passport.
There can be lengthy delays when travelling to the airport as a result of checkpoints established by the security forces. Sections of the road to the airport are occasionally closed at night, requiring all traffic to be diverted along narrow local roads. Travellers should allow adequate time for security checks on the road to the airport and maintain a high degree of security vigilance if diverted from the main road along the narrow local road system.
Check points between government held areas and “uncleared areas”, (i.e. areas controlled by the LTTE) including on the main A-9 highway which links the north and south of the country, can be closed without notice. The checkpoint at Muhamalai, the entry point to Jaffna, has been closed since 11 August.
Transport conditions throughout Sri Lanka are hazardous. There are a high number of road deaths and injuries, particularly on inter-city buses and three-wheeler taxis. The standard of driving and vehicle maintenance is poor. There have been a number of fatal accidents on Sri Lankan railways in recent years.
Marked and unmarked landmines are widespread in parts of the north and east, especially in Vanni, Jaffna and along the A9 road in the north.
On 28 December 2005 the Government of Sri Lanka announced arrangements for foreigners seeking to enter the uncleared areas of the north and east which are presently under LTTE control. Foreign staff of diplomatic missions, international organisations and international non-government organisations accredited with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be allowed to cross entry and exit checkpoints into uncleared areas without restriction. All other foreigners must seek approval from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence before being allowed to enter uncleared areas. For advice on the location of uncleared areas, you can contact the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence on telephone number (+94 11) 243 3215.
Road access between Jaffna and the rest of Sri Lanka has been closed since 11 August 2006. The LTTE has refused to guarantee the safety of shipping in waters around Jaffna. On 9 November 2006, LTTE Sea Tigers attacked Sri Lankan Navy ships escorting a passenger ferry from Trincomalee to Jaffna. The LTTE launched a suicide attack against a cargo vessel in Jaffna on 21 January 2006. Australians in Jaffna who wish to depart should do so by air.
The waters around the northern and eastern coast of Sri Lanka are declared restricted zones by the Government of Sri Lanka. Government security forces have fired upon unauthorised vessels in coastal areas. In September 2006 a vessel was destroyed in waters beyond the territorial sea.
Piracy occurs in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka. The LTTE hi-jacked a Jordanian cargo vessel off the north-east coast in December 2006. See our travel advice on shipping and ports for more information. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.

Airline Safety

Due to the on-going conflict, the SLAF base at Katunayeke could be targeted at any time. The co-located international airport could be closed without warning and commercial aircraft could be at risk, particularly at night. We recommend you contact your airline to confirm flight details.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority Pristiq price with insurance and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia’s overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns this will be included in travel advice.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country’s ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
source:
http://joyceheyzer.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!79F27886F50B9A13!1961.entry?wa=
wsignin1.0

2007 What was

Published on 31/12/2007 in press coverage. 0 Comments

2007 What was

By Madhushala Senaratne and Tahnee Hopman

Looking back on yet another year, there is little to smile about with even the few positive moments being overshadowed by conflict, death and destruction. As 2008 approaches, we can only hope that the New Year brings some joy and solace to a country haunted by increasing violence and burdened by the soaring cost of living.

January

6: Around 15 people are killed and more than 40 injured in an explosion on a bus at Godagama near Hikkaduwa. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe declares that the Memorandum of Understanding between his party and the ruling SLFP may be annulled in the wake of a Cabinet decision to allow crossovers from the UNP.
12: In the worst landslides in 15 years, around 18 people die, 15 go missing, 1,500 houses are destroyed and more than 100,000 are displaced in the Walapane, Hanguranketa and Maturata areas.
Across the country, heavy rains result in widespread flooding A?a??a?? Hambantota district being badly-hit.
19: After weeks of heavy fighting, security forces secure Vakarai town, a crucial gain, and advance north. More than 300 LTTE fighters and 50 security forces personnel are killed. Thousands of civilians flee to government-controlled areas.
27: The navy thwarts an attack on the Colombo port, when it intercepts and destroys three suspected LTTE suicide boats.

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The Sunday Times photographer M.A. Pushpa Kumara captured this scene when Colombo’s night sky was set alight by anti-aircraft gunfire when two LTTE light aircraft hovered over the city and suburbs on April 29

February
9: President Mahinda Rajapaksa sacks three of his senior Ministers — Mangala Samaraweera (Ports and Aviation), Anura Bandaranaike (National Heritage) and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi (Port Development – non-Cabinet rank).

March
2: Five bullet-riddled bodies with faces disfigured and blindfolded are found in a swamp in Kandana.
10: The bodies of eight people, including the Anuradhapura Area Commander of the Army, Jayantha Suraweera, are recovered at the Wilpattu National Park.

April
1: Six labourers are killed at Mailambavani, Batticaloa, and hours later, 16 civilians and a soldier fall victim to a bus bomb blast at Kondawatturan, Ampara.
7: Seven including two children are killed when a state-run passenger bus is hit by a powerful claymore mine at Pirimanalankulam in Vavuniya.
10: In a horrific accident which shocked the country, 23 people die and more than 50 suffer injuries when a beer delivery truck crashes into a CTB bus at Kaikawala, close to Bentota.
29: A total blackout is imposed on the city of Colombo shortly after midnight as two Tiger rebel aircraft hover over the area. The craft drop bombs on a fuel dump of the CPC oil installations at Kolonnawa and an LPG gas facility in Muthurajawela. The LTTE air attack comes as Sri Lankans are glued to their TVs watching the World Cup cricket finals in Barbados, with Sri Lanka taking on Australia. Rain dampened the match with Australia winning the World Cup.

May
6: Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s security is slashed on a Supreme Court ruling.
18: Two small children and three other members of one family are hacked to death in their sleep, over a land dispute, in Meegahawatte, Delgoda. A 12-year-old girl who is critically injured is the sole survivor.
27: The de-merged Northern and Eastern Provinces get new flags. The Eastern Province flag depicts an eagle, a fish and a lion, signifying Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara respectively while the Northern Province flag depicts the sun.
28: A claymore blast in Ratmalana kills eight and injures 30. The mine had been kept on the roof of a video shop at Belekkade junction.

June
1: A lorry laden with explosives weighing around 1,000 kilograms A?a??a?? is detected at a road block at Kotavehera, Nikaweratiya.
7: More than 300 Tamils are evicted from lodges in Colombo amidst strong protests and condemnation not only by human rights groups but also the international community.
8: Nine bodies of people killed, with their eyes blindfolded and hands tied behind their backs, are found at Wennappuwa.
9: Following a spate of abductions, ransom demands and killings, the Criminal Investigation Department questions a former Air Force Squadron Leader Nishantha Gajanayaka.
16: Sri Lankan Rizana Nafeek (19) is sentenced to death by a Saudi Arabian court after an infant she was bottle-feeding chokes. Rizana who was from Mutur had gone to Saudi Arabia in May 2005 at the age of 17 giving a false age on her passport. The appeal against the death sentence is pending.
29: ‘The Buddhist’, the first Buddhist TV channel in Sri Lanka is launched and goes on the air.

Troops celebrate the fall of Thoppigala, the last eastern stronghold of the LTTE, on July 11

July
11: The army captures Thoppigala, the last eastern stronghold of the LTTE, bringing the entire Eastern Province under government control in 14 years. The military claims that at least 211 LTTE cadres were killed.

August
1: The CWC resigns from the government and Leader Arumugam Thondaman gives up his ministerial portfolio.
9: The government expresses concern in Parliament over the statement of UN Humanitarian Affairs Chief John Holmes who in an interview with Reuters described Sri Lanka as one of the most dangerous places for aid workers.
12: Former Attorney General K.C. Kamalasabayson passes away while receiving treatment at Apollo Hospital in Chennai, South India. He is 58.

September
7: A new system for Grade 1 admissions to state schools is approved by the Supreme Court.
10: Malaka Silva, son of non-cabinet minister Mervyn Silva, who is alleged to have hit an accountant of a private firm with a pistol, is remanded.

October
5: Several high-rise buildings in Colombo are asked to switch off their exterior lights and key locations including the Colombo Port, the Bandaranaike International Airport and the Shell Gas facility in Kerawalapitiya are put on full alert after the sighting of two suspected LTTE light aircraft in Tantirimale near Anuradhapura.
11: The CWC rejoins the government with Leader Arumugam Thondaman regaining his portfolio.
14: Just as UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour concludes her fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka, four of the 10 civil society members (part of an advisory committee set up to address human rights concerns) resign from the panel citing differences with the government. Earlier, Arbour and Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe differed strongly on the need for UN monitors in Sri Lanka.

The Anuradhapura Air Force base after the Black Tiger attack on October 22

Sri Lanka’s sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe is in line for a gold and a silver for her performance at the World Athletic Championships in Athens, Greece, and the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, respectively both in 2000, with Marion Jones due to be stripped of her medals after admitting the usage of steroids.

15: The LTTE launches an attack on an army detachment at Thalgasmankada in Yala, killing six soldiers and injuring three. A massive military search operation is carried out. The National Park is closed to visitors.
18: Malaka Silva, son of non-cabinet minister Mervyn Silva, allegedly involved in an assault case is released on bail.
22: Several aircraft are destroyed or damaged when the LTTE’s Black Tiger unit attacks the Anuradhapura Air Force base.
25: The Manampitiya Peace Bridge, Sri Lanka’s longest bridge built across the Mahaweli linking the Northern and Eastern Provinces is opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
26: The government suspends the licence of the Asia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for allegedly misreporting an incident at Ranminithenna in Tissamaharama.

November
1: The Supreme Court dismisses the application filed by ABC challenging the licence cancellation by the government
2: LTTE political head S. P. Thamilselvan is killed in an Air Force raid over Kilinochchi. Five LTTE military wing leaders are also killed in the attack. Thamilselvan was the LTTE’s chief negotiator at peace talks with successive governments.
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna is arrested in London for travelling under a forged passport.
More than 100 Sri Lankan soldiers serving with the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti (Minustah) are accused of sexual exploitation and abuse including the rape of children.
7: The budget offers little relief to the public already affected by the soaring cost of living.
9: The Supreme Court issues a significant directive on noise pollution, banning the use of loudspeakers or any other amplifiers from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

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The scene after a beer delivery truck crashed into a CTB bus at Kaikawala on April 10

12: A 22-year-old garment factory worker, Chamila Dissanayake, who had sought treatment at the Negombo Hospital, is found with critical injuries on a pathway close to the hospital. Police investigations indicate she had allegedly been pushed from the sixth floor by a doctor. Chamila dies while being taken to the National Hospital.
15: The United States freezes the US held assets of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), that acts as a front to facilitate fundraising and procurement for the LTTE.
17: Elina Jayewardene, widow of the first Executive President of Sri Lanka, J.R. Jayewardene passes away at the age of 94.
19: After weeks of speculation and tension that the government will not be able to get a majority and also crossovers, the second reading of the 2008 budget is passed in Parliament. The JVP votes against the budget.
21: The printing press of Leader Publications, which publishes the Sunday Leader, the Morning Leader and the Irudina, in Ratmalana comes under an arson attack.
29: Steven Peiris, Coordinating Secretary to Social Services Minister and EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda, is killed in a suicide bomb attack at the ministry office at Isipathana Road, Colombo 5. Two others are injured. For the first time, the attack is captured on CCTV and is possibly the only live pictures of a suicide bomber blowing herself up.
In the evening, like a sequel to a bloody story, 20 people are killed and 43 injured when a bomb left at the parcel counter at the Nugegoda NoLimit explodes.

December
3: Muttiah Muralitharan breaks the record for the highest number of Test wickets reaching 709, when he dismisses England one-day captain Paul Collingwood during the third day of the first Test match at Asgiriya, Kandy. This match is also the last Test match of veteran cricketer, Sanath Jayasuriya who retires from Test cricket.
5: Fifteen civilians are killed and 23 injured when a powerful claymore mine blows up a CTB bus on the Anuradhapura-Janakapura Road close to Kebithigo-llewa.

Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan celebrates with wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardene as he breaks the record for the highest number of Test wickets reaching 709.

8: In keeping with a Supreme Court ruling, permanent security checkpoints in and around Colombo are abandoned. The ruling that permanent checkpoints are illegal was issued after a motorist filed an application that he was harassed and unlawfully detained by police officers at Kirulapone.
10: On World Human Rights Day, several media organizations, civil society groups and trade unions march to the Media Ministry and hand over a petition demanding immediate action to curb increasing violence against journalists.
12: SLMC politicians including Leader Rauff Hakeem cross over to the opposition.
14: Foiling UNP plans to defeat the government, the third reading of the budget is passed with 114 voting for and 67 against. A while before the crucial vote, National Heritage Minister Anura Bandaranaike crosses over to the opposition but leaves Parliament just before voting. The JVP abstains from voting.
19: A newborn baby boy goes missing from the Kalubowila Hospital and is believed to have been stolen by a woman who had offered to look after him while his mother was having a bath. The baby is found by the Kohuwela Police in a house in Thalapathpitiya on December 24. However, another couple who lost their baby son in November from their home is still searching for him.

SriLankan Airlines CEO Peter Hill’s work permit is cancelled by the Board of Investment on the grounds that he failed to comply with a request from the main shareholder of the national carrier, the government. The request was for 36 seats from London to Colombo for the President and his entourage.
Flash floods and heavy rains in the Eastern, Central and North Central Provincesleave over 200,000 people homeless.
26: As the third anniversary of the devastating 2004 tsunami comes round, it is revealed that only US$ 1.7 billion of the US$ 3.1 billion pledged by foreign donors has been received and rehabilitation work is delayed.
27: Tension mounts at the state-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation when Deputy Minister of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Mervyn Silva and his bodyguards allegedly assault the News Director for not telecasting a speech made by him. When the staff attempts to retaliate, the Deputy Minister takes refuge in the Chairman’s office, until he is taken away under police protection.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071230/Plus/plus00011.html

Tsunami billions still at sea

Published on 23/12/2007 in Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

Thousands of Victims still stranded 3 years after catastrophe
By Madhushala Senaratne

As Sri Lanka marks the third anniversary of the catastrophic 2004 tsunami, it has come to light that only US$ 1.7 billion of the US$ 3.1 billion pledged by foreign donors has been received. As a result of the shortage of funds and other reasons, thousands are still living in makeshift camps while rehabilitation work has been delayed.

According to Nation Building Ministry figures, there was a shortfall of US dollars 1.4 billion as against the money pledged for tsunami rehabilitation and related projects. Some of the agencies and governments had disbursed almost all the funds they pledged or were on the verge of keeping to their commitments, but others were lagging far behind. The money was pledged from more than 480 organisations.

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An abandoned house at a tsunami housing scheme in the south.

Of its total commitment of US$ 150 million, the World Bank had disbursed US$ 142 million while the UNICEF had dispersed its full commitment of US$ 42. 3 million. The USAID which had committed $ 115 million had disbursed $ 68 million. NORAD which pledged $ 1.2 million had disbursed $ 607,992.

At least 19,791 housing units still remain to be completed for those hit by the tsunami while in some cases there were people who received more than two houses due to uncoordinated distribution. A?a??A?Of the estimated 117,483 houses required, 85% of the work has been completed while the remaining would be completed by end of June next year,A?a??A? the ministryA?a??a??s tsunami housing projects director, Ramesh Selliah said.

Although 100% of the work has been completed in the Southern province, about 88% has been completed in the East, Mr. Selliah said. He said thousands were still living in temporary camps and were reluctant to move. He said the construction of houses in the northern and eastern areas was slower mainly due to the fighting in the areas.

BatticaloaA?a??a??s Additional District Secretary K. Mahesan, said reconstruction work in areas such as Vakarai was put on hold due to heavy fighting in the region and the subsequent displacement of thousands of civilians worsened the situation. A?a??A?However, over 90% of the required houses in the Batticaloa district have been completedA?a??A?, he said. In addition, much of the work in Ampara has also been completed.

However, maintaining an estimate cost for a house is becoming increasingly difficult with the rise in prices of materials such as cement, according to Sritharan Sylvester, Director of Caritas which handles human and economic development issues in the East. Limited funds, donors moving out of the East and the rainy season were adding to their woes, he said. In President Mahinda RajapaksaA?a??a??s homebase of Hambantota a total of 6,391 houses have been rebuilt and families resettled. This is in excess of the 3193 houses that were directly affected or damaged. A?a??A?The houses built in excess are now occupied by the indirectly affected people such as renters, sub families and extended families,A?a??A? Hambantota District Secretariat tsunami work chief Mahinda Manawadu, said.

But, some of the housing projects have been completed halfway and abandoned. The construction of 200 houses in Ichallampattu in Trincomalee undertaken by World Vision Lanka was stopped due to the conflict in the area. However, its National Director Yu Hwa Li said that they would resume work once stability is restored in the area.Meanwhile, a senior official of the Tsunami Education Rehabilitation Monitor (TERM) said that of the 183 schools identified as directly damaged, 100 have been rebuild so far. Work on the rebuilding of some 40 schools in the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Batticaloa has been put on hold due to security reasons while the work on the remaining 40 schools is to be finished next year, he said.

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Certain projects implemented by the Japanese government in the East had also been delayed due to the prevailing security conditions. A?a??A?Although much of the work has been completed, including the reconstruction of Japan-Sri Lanka friendship villages in Trincomalee and Ampara, we faced many difficulties especially with regard to transportation of goods and equipment,A?a??A?, the Japanese embassyA?a??a??s second secretary Yasuhiro Watanabe said.
source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071223/News/news0001.html

Attack in deep South

Published on 19/10/2007 in press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

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Yala attack plan to shift attention away from North

Desperate LTTE in diversionary attacks:

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“Remark by arugam.info webmistress:
In keeping with our pledge and promise, all security related news are published. After careful consideration, even this depolrable incident is not considered to present any danger for visitors to the Bay. Firstly, foreigners are NEVER targeted, secondly the place of this incident is far away from your famous Arugam Bay.”
The LTTE this time has come with a different game plan with the launch of a sudden attack on an isolated Army detachment in the Southern end of the country. The intention of the LTTE is quite evident.

It wants to give the message to the country and also to the international community about their capability to launch attacks on Security Forces even in the South despite the setbacks suffered by the outfit in the Wanni and

Environment Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka visited the Yala National Park on Tuesday after Monday eveningA?a??a??s LTTE attack on Thalgasmankada Army Post. Here the Minister meeting the wild life officers.

A?A?the Jaffna Forward Defence Lines.

But, it is very evident from this attack that the LTTE is in a desperate state. If not, why target an Army detachment guarding the Yala National Park. It also betrays a sign of desperation after the outfitA?a??a??s inability to launch any major attack in the North or in the Wanni.

Out of the seven soldiers attached to the detachment manned by the troops of the 18 Sri Lanka National Guard six were killed in this unexpected attack.

Many feared that the LTTE had infiltrated the Yala National Park in large numbers as the tractor which was heading towards Thalgasmankada Army detachment to collect the bodies of the soldiers was caught in a landmine explosion just 600 metres away from the detachment.

One soldier was killed and five others injured in this mine explosion increasing the number of deaths to seven.

Elite Commandos and Special Forces were flown to the Yala National Park on Wednesday morning to launch a massive search operation and track down the Tiger cadres who had infiltrated the National Park.

Even two days after the search operation, troops found no proof of a Tiger presence despite searching many parts of the Park including block II of the park hemmed between Kumbukkan Oya-the border of the Ampara district and Menik Ganga.

Therefore, it is believed that the number of Tiger cadres who had launched this attack would not have exceeded ten.

Yet, the existence of even a handful of Tiger cadres inside the National Park will be a threat as they can launch unexpected attacks not only on Security Forces and Police personnel but also the civilians visiting the park, in their desperation.

That was why the Defence Authorities have taken steps to screen all parts of the National Park to give a full security guarantee to the people visiting the Park before it is open to the public.

Apart from this the security of the historic Situlpawwa Raja Maha Vihara has to be considered in view of the large number of Buddhists visiting the sacred area as it is located just six kilometres away from the Thalgamsmankada Army detachment.

However, this is not the first occasion the LTTE carried out such attacks inside the Yala National Park. There had been many occasions where the LTTE had set fire to a number of Holiday Bungalows inside the National Park in the late 1990A?a??a??s.

But according to records this is the first occasion the LTTE was able to kill seven soldiers inside the Yala National Park located in the southern tip of the country.

What is most important here is to find out how the Tiger cadres infiltrated the Park. There are many possibilities for them to infiltrate the national park considering the enormous jungle area it covers bordering many districts including Ampara, Moneragala, and Hambantota.

According to Security Forces the most probable way for the LTTE infiltrate the national park is through Ampara border across Kumbukkan Oya which demarcates Ampara district and the Hambantota district.

Zone II of the National Park located between Kumbukkan Oya and Menik Ganga, according to sources, provides a safe haven for any group to operate freely considering the number of rock caves in the region.

This area could have been used by the LTTE to infiltrate into the Zone I of the National Park and launch this

The Wild Life department vehicle that gamagedot d

attack on Thalgasmankada located some six kilometres into the land from the location which links Menik Ganga into the sea.

The Security Forces believe that groups of Tiger cadres who fled from Kanchikudichchiaru jungle would have entered the this area across the Lahugala National Park in the Ampara border with the Police Special Task Force launching a number of search operations in the jungle patches of the Ampara district in search of the Tiger cadres who fled from Thoppigala.

There had been information that a team led by LTTE leader Ram had fled further southwards from the Thoppigala in their bid to escape Security Forces operations.

The presence of the STF in the area has paved the way for the LTTE to flee from the Kanchikudichchuaru jungle towards further south of the Ampara district.

The other possibility for the LTTE to move into the area is by mingling with the fishermen arriving there to the Yala National Park area for seasonal fishing.

There had been information from a hunter, that some suspected people were living inside a rock cave in the Block II area of the National Park.

Therefore, it is quite clear the LTTE infiltrated the jungle through the Ampara border from Panama and Lahugala jungle.

Another possible way for the LTTE to infiltrate the Yala National Park is mingling with the pilgrims from the North to the annual Kataragama perahera through the jungle terrains passing the Yala National Park.

The recently concluded Kataragama perahera gave ample opportunities for fleeing Tiger terrorists from the Eastern theatre to move towards the southern end mingling with these pilgrims on Pada Yatra.

Though it was compulsory for the Security Forces to screen them before arriving at Kataragama they had many opportunities to move away from these pilgrims and take refuge in jungle patches easily.

The Security Forces who were guarding the Yala National Park had not been on alert as the area had not come under such a terror attack for the past few years.

The LTTE took this chance to overrun the Army detachment killing six soldiers there in the detachment as the Security Forces guarding the National Park have not conducted any search operations outside their detachment.

But this cannot be taken as a serious lapse on the part of the Security Forces as they never expected such an attack from the LTTE at this point, though there had been many incidents in the past inside the Yala National Park.

There had been several terror attacks on Thalgasmanakada in 1986, and in 1996. The LTTE set fire to a few holiday bungalows inside Yala National Park in 1996.

In October 1997 there was an incident in which the Kataragama bus depot was set on fire while a few vehicles were set ablaze in Galge area inside the Yala National Park.

The LTTE had selected an easy target to transmit a message across the world announcing their presence at a time the outfit was at the receiving end of a severe hiding both on ground, sea and through air attacks, its worst ever reversal in the near three decade old conflict.

There had been wide publicity to this incident as it involved a world famous Wild Life Park and also due to its location hundreds of miles away from the theatre of battle in the Wanni and in the Jaffna peninsula.

Had the LTTE launched this attack targeting a small Army detachment in Weli Oya or in Jaffna the incident would have gained the least prominence to the LTTE since such incidents were commonplace in the North.

Even if they did the same thing in Trincomalee or in Batticaloa, that also would not had any effect as this type of isolated incidents are frequently reported when Security Forces launch search operations to check Tiger infiltrations into the province possibly from the Northern sector.

One major objective of the LTTE through this attack is to divert the attention of the Security Forces from the Wanni in the face of the severe beating taken by the outfit. They want the Security Forces to deploy a major strength, at least a Brigade to secure an area like the Yala National Park, which stretches over 97,889 hectares.

It is vital for the LTTE to shift a considerable strength from the Wanni battle front as it facing an acute shortage of fighters to face the Security Forces advancing towards their Wanni strongholds slowly but steadily.

Such a vacuum in the Wanni battle front will enable the LTTE face the Security Forces easily with the limited number of cadres available with them.

During this week alone more than 100 Tiger cadres were killed in the confrontations with the Security Forces West of Omanthai. The number of Tiger cadres killed in these confrontations in this location have increased to 1,500.

Heavy LTTE casualties were reported when troops crippled a Tiger advance on Wednesday at the defence lines North of Uyilankulam, Mannar.

The limited encounter between Forces and the LTTE sprung amidst stormy weather with the onset of monsoonal rains.

Earlier, on Monday the Security Forces were able to kill more than 30 Tiger cadres in the FDLs West of Omanthai. Many of these cadres were female cadres and bodies recovered by the Security Forces were handed over to the LTTE later through the ICRC.

Yesterday too the security Forces averted another major LTTE move towards Security Forces defences in Periyathampanai in the West of Omanthai killing at least 13 LTTE cadres and injuring 10 of them. Seven bodies of the LTTE were recovered by the Security Forces along with their personnel weapons.

What is most significant is that the LTTE is realising that the fall of the Wanni bastions is inevitable in the face of determined efforts by the Security Forces to continue their advance towards the uncleared areas amidst heavy resistance from the LTTE.

In the same way the LTTE is also receiving severe beatings from the Security Forces in the Jaffna FDLs. According to the military at least five LTTE cadres are being killed on daily basis in the Jaffna FDLs in Muhamalai, Kilali and Nagar Kovil.

The recovery of a large haul of arms inside a house in Jaffna was a major breakthrough to the Security Forces since this detection could well have averted a major disaster that could have been planned by the LTTE to gain the upper hand.

That was the biggest recovery ever made by the Security Forces in the Jaffna peninsula. Troops acting on information given by civilians detected this massive LTTE war chest inside a false wall of a house.

The recovery included 622 Kilograms of C-4 explosives packed in boxes, 6334 live rounds of T-56 ammunition, one T-56 weapon, one silence pistol, 21 boxes of bicycle balls, eight suicide jackets, five claymore mines, five cellular phones, one Global Positioning System(GPS) set, 20 T-56 magazines, 790 T-56 silencer ammunition, 70 LTTE code sheets and a large stock of batteries.

This is the second largest quantity of C4 explosives detected in a single instance after the recovery of an explosive laden freezer truck in Trincomalee.

It is clearly evident that LTTE is now in a major preparation to launch a massive attack on vital security installations either in Jaffna or elsewhere in the country in order to rise from its present debacles.

Therefore, the attack on the Thalgasmanakada Army detachment can be seen as one step towards destabilising security in the South as it was the only place they could find to attack the Security Forces.

Therefore it is vital on the part of the Security Forces and also the public to be alert to possible LTTE moves to launch a desperate and inhumane attack targeting civilians in Colombo to exert pressure on the Government to hold back military operations targeting the groupA?a??a??s Wanni strongholds.
source:
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/10/19/fea02.asp

Eastern Development?

Published on 03/06/2007 in press coverage and services. 0 Comments

Hambantota: Into the future, but what about the people?

While people await eagerly the many development projects in this once backwater area, there is a lot of heartburn over relocation plans, reports……

By Rohan Abeywardena

Hambantota may have been in LankaA?a??a??s backwater for a very long time and a pertinent question that used to be asked by political rivals here from the most powerful clan from this backward district, the RajapaksaA?a??a??s of Giruwapattuwa was what they have done for the region all these years?

RajapaksaA?a??a??s may have been thinking of the greater national good while holding many ministerial posts over the years, instead of merely enriching a pocket borough, but now with them being at the helm of the country, Hambantota is being truly transformed into the 21st century.

We toured the region last week to get a first hand look at what is in store and we found that though much local and international attention has gone to the construction of the proposed international harbour and airport here, there are many other complementary and supplementary projects that are either under construction or are about to take off the ground.

One project that is working full steam with ADB assistance is the upgrading of the existing natural fishery harbour. Here the China Harbour Engineering Company is building two breakwaters of 173 metres and 253 metres to enable this fishery harbour to be used through out the year. This part of the contract amounting Rs.334 million, includes deepening its approach to a depth of five metres and a width of 70 metres, deepening the inner basin to a depth of 3.5 metres and building a 150 metre quay. On completion in July it will be able to accommodate 70 multi-day boats and other smaller craft. The project originally set to be completed last April has got delayed, according to its Assistant Resident Engineer W.A.N. Silva due to the contractor finding it difficult to obtain adequate amount of large boulders for the breakwater construction on time.

Its Project Director from the Fishery Harbours Corporation Nissanka Perera adds that these are no ordinary granite boulders, with each weighing as much as three to five tonnes. He assures that the contract for the second half of the project, the building of the shore facilities, including the fish auction building, a net mending facility, and an administrative complex too will be awarded shortly and that too will be ready by the end of the year.

Another project, the work on which has just been started is a US$20 million modern administrative complex for the new Hambantota town. The South Korean construction giant Keangnam has been awarded the contract. It is being funded by a soft loan from the Korean government. The repayment is spread over a long period, according to Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development Dr. P Ramunajam

Almost adjoining this office complex will see the construction of an international conference hall, 70 per cent of its total cost of US$ 8 million is being met by the South Korean government as a gift to Sri Lanka. One hundred acres have been set aside for the office complex and the conference hall.

Another 400 acres have been set aside adjacent to the new harbour for a BOI approved oil refinery project. Parallel to these projects, work is also in progress on the construction of infrastructure and other support facilities such as a new Galle Road through the interior circling the new harbour as a big portion of the present Galle Road will disappear with the construction of the port inland between Mirijjawila junction and encompassing the Karagan Saltern lagoon. This lagoon, as its Sinhala name suggests originally a saltern, but has not been used for that purpose for a long time since waste water had been flowing into it from the nearby government base hospital.

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While practically everyone in Hambantota is now eagerly and proudly awaiting these massive projects, there is much heartburn especially over the compensation packages on offer among several hundred families who will have to be shifted to accommodate the flag ship projects, the international harbour and the airport at Weerawila, . Unlike all the other projects which are coming up on recently cleared virgin shrub jungle, these two massive projects and their support facilities expected to cost initially US$360 million and US$ 125 million, require thousands of acres of land now occupied by people.

Because of these frictions and the enormity of the tasks ahead, one cannot really blame President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointing his elder brother Chamal to the portfolio of Shipping and Aviation early this month. The haughty attitude of some officials attached to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority may have contributed to the deepening of friction with the affected people.

A policeman stands guard at the foundation stone site of the airport. Pic by Saman Kariyawasam

When we tried to raise the grievances of people who will have to be moved out for the harbour project, from a senior Ports Authority engineer, such as the low compensation amounts offered to them , he at once maintained that 192 families had already agreed to leave the area accepting the package offered and only 78 were holding back for more. And when it was pointed out that there are grave shortcomings in the infrastructure of the new township being prepared to resettle those people at Siribopura, he immediately cut the call.

The affected people took us to the new scheme, which was devoid of any trees, where the drains were being built and the inner roads were being macadamized at a cost of Rs. 60 million. It was obvious to anyone that the tar was being poured over a layer of metal not even two inches thick and beneath that thin layer of metal was just plain earth. And the drains and the hume pipes used for culverts couldnA?a??a??t have been even one foot in diameter.

SLPA Chief Engineer Janaka Kurukulasuriya was more accommodating and assured us that he would personally inspect the scheme to see that everything was done according to specifications. He maintained that the diameter of drains and culverts had to be 300 mm and the contractor should ensure that the roads should have two layers of metal totalling 75mm of thickness.

In addition to the dispute over compensation package, the affected people also complain about having to move to an area which is barren amidst unbearable arid weather conditions in the district. They also fear wild animals and especially wild elephants, for Siribopura adjoins elephant infested shrub jungle. In fact while we were there around noon, we ourselves observed a wild elephant feeding at a garbage dump nearby. So without an electric fence it would be suicidal to live there.

Even the 78 families who have so far not signed up to leave, are willing to vacate, if a compensation package similar to the extremely lucrative ones given to affected people at places like Norochcholai and areas coming under the southern hi-way, is offerd to them.

Though these two big projects are definitely needed for the development of the whole country, raising the required finances appears to be the problem facing the authorities.

Government Agent, Hambantota, R.M.D. Meegasmulla hit the nail on the head when he admitted that compensation packages offered at Norichcholai and for areas coming under the southern hi – way were high, thanks to donor funding, but the problem here was much of the funding has to be raised locally.

It appears that even the launching of the harbour project has been somewhat delayed over the issue of raising the required finances, but Minister Chamal Rajapaksa told The Sunday Times that they would now lay the foundation stone with a soft ceremony on June 07.

The new port is earmarked to be completed in three years and three months, while the new international airport is expected to go into basic operation in 2009.

He said officials of the Ex-Im Bank of China, which is to provide a loan to finance the venture visited the area last Sunday in this regard. Pending the finalization of the loan they were going ahead with the project with SLPA funds.

President Rajapaksa during his state visit to China earlier this year has already signed the general agreement with Beijing to build the port.

Chief Engineer Kurukulasuriya assures speeding up of compensation payments to 150 families out of the 192 already agreed to leave, within the next two to three weeks. As for the balance 42 he said there are disputes about ownership and other issues preventing them from disbursing any funds to them. As for those refusing to sign up to vacate, Minister Rajapksa has met the members of the Association of Those Losing Properties to the Proposed Port early this week and have agreed to review their individual cases with a view to paying maximum compensation possible.

Unlike people being ousted by the harbour project who have been ever ready to leave provided they are provided the right compensation package, those being asked to leave to facilitate the new airport at Weerawila, the request has come like a bolt of lightning late last year, for earlier under the previous UNP regime the second international airport was earmarked to be built at Kuda Oya in the Moneragala District about 30 miles north of the present location.

Here, about 362 families in Colony 10 and few families in Colony 11 face the prospect of having to be uprooted after struggling to build their lives for the past 22 years. They were settled here in 1985 under the Lunugamvehera scheme. The scheme was a failure till few years back due to inadequate supply of water, but with the bringing in of additional water through the newly constructed Weherahgala canal people have begun enjoying bountiful harvests during both seasons.

According to the Airport and Aviation Services sources Kuda Oya site was a hasty selection done without giving consideration to access to infrastructure and even the presence of a nearby mountain range in Wellawaya is seen as a potential threat to the safe operation of an airport.

But at Weerawila, there is a greater problem over the threat faced by the adjoining Bundala bird sanctuary. An Environmental Impact Assessment prepared for the Weerawila airport project is said to be now under the review of a high-powered committee appoited by the Central Environmental Authority.

Prevacid price at target

Director General of the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce Azmi Thassim too feels the build up of friction. Therefore, he appeals to authorities to take the people into confidence and to march forward as a team to achieve these goals. A?a??A?These are good ideas and if properly managed they are not impossible to achieve. Instead of ad hoc decisions, people must be taken into confidence and from there work as a team, through continuous engagement of the community.A?a??A?

Tourism being the main income source of the region and the airport also being an urgent need, he suggests that the new airport be sited at least ten kilometres from Yala and at least 50 kilometres from Bundala to ensure that no harm is done to the two nature reserves by aircraft landing and taking off. With certainty, he says the harbour and the airport are the answers to the economic woes faced by them as those two alone would make the area centre of a lucrative triangle. To the east, he points to Arugam Bay, the best surfing destination in the world; to the west the golden beaches of the South and to the North the cool climes of hill destinations.

The Director General recalls that the current crisis facing the district is unprecedented. and far worse than the troubles they faced during the first and second JVP insurrections and the tsunami.

Similar desperate sentiments are echoed by Hambantota Regional President of the Hoteliers Association, Priyankara Wickramasekera. He says not only the survival of hotels are at stake, but thousands of their direct employees, suppliers, and everyone down the chain are in jeopardy.

Even with the Weerawila airport project, again the authorities have obviously run into a financial problem, which is envisaged to be resolved through raising the required funds from national lotteries run by the Lotteries Board. As such all Rs10 lottery tickets will double in price from August. The Lotteries Board will also introduce two new dollar denominated lottery tickets eying foreign travellers.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/070603/News/news7.html

ACT or Not

Published on 23/12/2006 in press coverage. 0 Comments

ACT – In Sri Lanka, tsunami work both surges and stops

Cheap duetact medication Geneva, December 22, 2006– A multiplication effect is one way that Linda Tiongco, who is working for the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International in Sri Lanka, describes the progress that has been made in the recovery from the December 26, 2004, tsunami.

While the anecdote she tells is not based on scientific data or any official studies that have been done, it illustrates how the work of ACT members on the island can be far-reaching beyond those they have assisted directly.

In Hambantota on the southern coast, the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) provided drag “madal” fishing nets and small outrigger canoes to seven teams of 16 fishermen each as part of its livelihood-rehabilitation program. The fishermen had lost their means of earning an income when their equipment was lost or destroyed in the tsunami. NCCSL encouraged the team members to agree among themselves to own the nets collectively so all would receive the benefits.

With their new equipment, the fishermen have been able to return to work, and when each team returns to shore with its catch, as many as 100 men meet the boat to help pull in the nets. The fish are then bought by ten to 15 men, and an additional four people supply the ice to keep the fish fresh.

Take into account all the people who are involved in the core activity of catching the fish and those who perform related tasks after the fish are brought ashore, then consider the family each person supports with the income they earn from their work, and the numbers of people who are benefiting in some way can quickly add up to the thousands.

Tiongco reports that fish stocks have decreased as the breeding and feeding grounds were badly damaged in the tsunami, and it is taking time for the stocks to replenish themselves. Floods have also caused changes in the river flows to the sea. But, she says, the fishermen have the means to resume their work and, with continued support, should eventually recover.

It has been two years since the tsunami hit several countries bordering the Indian Ocean. The deadly waves caused damage along 75 percent of Sri LankaA?a??a??s coastline, killed 35,000 people and left a half million homeless.

While ACT members have made progress in assisting survivors in areas like livelihood support and in building houses in some parts of the country, they have faced challenges in carrying out work in other areas because of external factors.

In the areas of Cheap micronase 5mg Pottuvil and Komari in the east, the Methodist Church, a member of NCCSL, is building 101 houses for tsunami survivors. “Suddenly the housing has taken off,” reports Tiongco. However, she adds, the shortage of building materials and skilled labor have caused a sharp rise in the cost of building houses, as much as a four-fold increase per house.

The biggest threat to the tsunami-recovery work is the resurgence of the armed conflict. Since April, the governmentA?a??a??s military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), commonly known as the Tamil Tigers, have been in conflict.

NCCSL reports that the clashes in the northern and eastern parts of the country have meant that the tsunami work in these areas has slowed down or stopped. The distribution of 700 “katumarans” (boats) and 26 sets of madal nets that was due to take place in April was postponed. And for two months earlier this year in Jaffna, in the far north, all work stopped, but NCCSL has since resumed its supplementary education classes for students.

Construction of housing for tsunami survivors by the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India (JDCSI), also an ACT member, has also ground to a halt in LTTE-controlled areas.

The recent fighting has again forced thousands of people from their homes. “People in these areas were affected by the conflict before the tsunami, then they were hit by the tsunami, and now they are affected by the conflict again,” Tiongco explains. “Some people have been living in camps for some 20 years.”

NCCSL reports that the closure of the main supply route to the Jaffna Peninsula since August 11 means that food and essential items are being transported by sea by the government there. And with means of communication cut off as well, even by mobile phone, Tiongco says that ACT members are relying on clergy coming out of the area for information about the needs of people displaced by the fighting.

Since the day the tsunami struck, clergy in congregations have been one of the main ways the ACT members in Sri Lanka have been carrying out the relief and rehabilitation work. For example, pastors of congregations that belong to NCCSL member churches are continuing to identify tsunami survivors who have been passed over for assistance. The presence of congregations in communities has also enabled them to provide assistance efficiently, avoiding duplication with other humanitarian-aid organizations..

“Churches working on the ground know the area and can make sure people who are in need get assistance and that others are not left out,” says Tiongco, who has been in Sri Lanka since April to assist in coordinating the tsunami-response work of NCCSL, JDCSI and other ACT members working in Sri Lanka.

As the work under the ACT appeal enters its third and final year, the ACT members will be finishing up their emergency-response work and making the transition into longer-term development. But the country remains in a tenuous situation – recovering from the damage of 2004A?a??a??s disaster only to be threatened with more devastation from the old civil conflict.

For further information, please contact:

ACT Information Officer Stephen Padre (mobile/cell phone +41 79 681 1868)

see the original article:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/ACIO-6WQHL3?OpenDocument

Open Sky @ Arugambay?

Published on 11/11/2006 in press coverage. 3 Comments

Buy silvitra online Ashwagandha plant buy Ruhunu open skies launch on Nov 19
The Ruhunu Open Skies programme is to be launched on November 19 and 20 at Hambantota.
The director general ofA?A? Civil Aviation, H M C Nimalsiri said the programme is based on facilities at three airfields – Katukurunda, Koggala and Weerawila and an abandoned runway located north east of Hambantota.
The area of operation will be the coastal belt from Kalutara to Arugam Bay in Pottuwil. The land area encompasses Kalutara, Neboda, Elpitiya, Akuressa, Panamure, Balangoda, Kirigalpotta mountain peak, Haputale, Ella, Haliella, Lunugala, Weerawila and Yala.
A wide range of aviation activities including flying schools, hang gliding, para gliding, para jumping,A?A? micro-light aircraftA?A? and kites would be a major contributor to the economy, together with a variety of helicopter services for ships.
Ship movement around the south of Sri Lanka is between 285 to 325 ships a day reaching nearly 10,000 ships per month. The open skies programme could also provide a number of services by helicopter, night and day, which will include crew transfers, medical evacuations, para-medics for emergency medical care, provision of emergency medicines and supply of food.

see the original article:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=116132&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24

No Asssistance received?

Published on 13/10/2006 in press coverage. 0 Comments

CAPS contributes to better co-ordination in post-tsunami livelihood recovery activities

Fri, 2006-10-13 03:49Sunil C. Perera, Reporting from Colombo

Brahmi gadi katha online game Colombo, 13 October, (Asiantribune.com):The Livelihoods Unit of the Reconstruction and Development agency [RADA], technically supported by the international Labour Organization [ILO] recently launched its District based Coordination and Planning System (CAPS) to collect and update information on planned and ongoing post-tsunami livelihoods recovery activities from a wide range of service providers. The objective is to provide district and divisional level decision-makers with the information required for coordination and planning of livelihood recovery activities and to minimize duplications in post-tsunami assistance. ILOA?a??a??s Chief Technical Advisor, Doekle Wielinga, says the CAPS collects details on post-tsunami livelihood aid distribution and service providers in a comprehensive manner. ILOA?a??a??s Chief Technical Advisor, Doekle Wielinga, says the CAPS collects details on post-tsunami livelihood aid distribution and service providers in a comprehensive manner.

According to Divisional Secretaries from the tsunami affected divisions, the lack of detailed information of the support provided by a number of NGOs and INGOs earlier has been a key reason for duplications during the aid distribution.

ILOA?a??a??s Chief Technical Advisor, Doekle Wielinga, says the CAPS collects details on post-tsunami livelihood aid distribution and service providers in a comprehensive manner. NGOs, INGOs and state institutions are now engaged with the CAPS in 8 districts and provide details of their post-tsunami livelihoods recovery activities. The compiled information is distributed back to the participating (I)NGOs and is made available to district and divisional authorities. This information dissemination assists aid distribution agencies to avoid duplications and to target activities when planning future work in tsunami-affected areas, Mr.Wielinga said.

Coordination between aid agencies and District and Divisional Authorities is crucial. According to the District Secretary of Hambantota, Mr.M.A.Piyasena, a number of tsunami affected fishermen had received fibre glass boats from aid agencies, without Divisional Secretaries of the area aware of these activities. Therefore, it is important that aid agencies coordinate their activities with the District and Divisional authorities, and vice versa, said Mr.W.M.B.S.Nissanka, Acting director of RADA-livelihood. Therefore, it is important that aid agencies coordinate their activities with the District and Divisional authorities, and vice versa, said Mr.W.M.B.S.Nissanka, Acting director of RADA-livelihood.

The District Secretary of the Ampara District, Mr. Herath Abeyaweera, said he still needs more details of the aid distribution, especially for affected fishermen in Ampara district. “I do not know how many boats were distributed among the affected fishermen in the Ampara District due to the information-sharing gap”, he said.

According to the Divisional Secretaries of the tsunami affected areas in Sri Lanka, there are still a number of affected people in their areas that have not received full assistance Cheap citalopram online from NGOs or INGOs.

Therefore, it is important that aid agencies coordinate their activities with the District and Divisional authorities, and vice versa, said Mr.W.M.B.S.Nissanka, Acting director of RADA-livelihood. He continued that the Monthly Livelihood Coordination meetings, organized through the District Secretaries, are and important platform for such coordination and that RADA District and Divisional staff is facilitating this process

Mr.Wielinga concluded that the CAPS is a useful tool for all stakeholders involved in livelihood recovery to share information and better coordinate their activities.

– Asian Tribune –

see the original article:
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/2464

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